Antirrhinum plant named ‘Sulte Laver’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Antirrhinum  plant named ‘Sulte Laver’, characterized by its outwardly spreading, decumbent and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and numerous flowers that are light purple in color.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Antirrhinum×hybrida cultivar Sulte Laver.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Antirrhinum plant, commercially known as a trailing Snapdragon, botanically known as Antirrhinum hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Sulte Laver.

The new Antirrhinum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Gilroy, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new early and freely flowering Antirrhinums with trailing and mounded plant habit and attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Antirrhinum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in September, 2000 of a proprietary selection of Antirrhinum hybrida identified as code number 173, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary selection of Antirrhinum hybrida identified as code number 26, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Antirrhinum was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny of the cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. in May, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings since May, 2001, in Gilroy, Calif. has shown that the unique features of this new Antirrhinum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Sulte Laver have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sulte Laver’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sulte Laver’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading, decumbent and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Numerous flowers that are light purple in color.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the new Antirrhinum differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Antirrhinum had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Antirrhinum flowered earlier than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Antirrhinum and the female parent selection         differed in flower color as plants of the female parent         selection had light red purple-colored flowers.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the new Antirrhinum differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Antirrhinum had smaller leaves than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Antirrhinum flowered earlier than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Antirrhinum and the male parent selection         differed in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         had white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Antirrhinum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Luminaire Pink, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the new Antirrhinum differed from plants of the cultivar Luminaire Pink in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Antirrhinum had smaller leaves than plants         of the cultivar Luminaire Pink.     -   2. Plants of the new Antirrhinum had smaller flowers than plants         of the cultivar Luminaire Pink.     -   3. Plants of the new Antirrhinum and the cultivar Luminaire Pink         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Luminaire         Pink had solid pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Antirrhinum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Sulte Laver’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘Sulte Laver’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Sulte Laver have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Gilroy, Calif., under commercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse during the summer with day temperatures ranging from 24 to 29° C., night temperatures ranging from 13 to 18° C. and light levels about 2,000 foot-candles. Plants used for the photographs and description were about 12 weeks from planting rooted cuttings. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Antirrhinum hybrida cultivar Sulte Laver. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Antirrhinum hybrida             identified as code number 173, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Antirrhinum hybrida             identified as code number 26, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 12 to 16             days at 21 to 23° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer and winter.—About 25 to 30             days at 21 to 23° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; initially upright, then low             trailing and outwardly spreading; decumbent; uniformly             mounded plant form. Freely branching habit; about six basal             branches per plant. Pinching enhances development of lateral             branches.         -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes, patio             containers and landscape applications.         -   Plant height.—About 12 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 36 cm.         -   Vigor.—Moderately vigorous; moderate growth rate.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 21 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Internode length: About 1.8 cm. Texture: Sparsely pubescent.             Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite before flowering;             alternate after flowers develop; simple. Length: About             3.5 cm. Width: About 1.6 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Broadly             acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate,             arcuate. Color: Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: 147A. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: 147B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 147B.             Petiole length: About 8 mm. Petiole diameter: About 1 mm.             Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces: 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single bi-labiate flowers arranged on             terminal racemes; flowers opposite. Freely flowering habit,             usually about eight open flowers and about three flower buds             per raceme. Flowers face outwardly. Flowers not persistent.             Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, spring             until autumn; flowering continuous during this period.             Plants start flowering about eight weeks after planting             rooted cuttings.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant.         -   Flower length.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower width.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: 186C.         -   Corolla.—Shape/arrangement: Broadly tubular; five modified             petals; upper two and lower three petals fused. Petal lobe             apices: Rounded. Petal lobe margin: Entire. Length, upper             petal lobes: About 1.8 cm. Length, lower petal lobes: About             1 cm. Width, upper petal lobes: About 9 mm. Width, lower             petal lobes: About 1 cm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces             of petal lobes: Pubescent; velvety. Texture, throat:             Pubescent. Color: When opening, upper petal lobes, upper             surface: 75D. When opening, lower petal lobes, upper             surface: 157D; palate, 4B; towards throat, 5B. When opening,             all petal lobes, lower surface: 157D with longitudinal             streaks, 75D. Fully opened, upper petal lobes, upper             surface: 77B; towards the throat, 77C. Fully opened, lower             petal lobes, upper surface: 75C to 75D; palate, 7A. Fully             opened, all petal lobes and tube, lower surface: 77C to 77D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower; fused at             base. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:             Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 146D.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong; flexible. Angle: About 45° from the stem.             Color: 147C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: Four per             flower. Anther size: About 1 mm by 2 mm. Anther shape: Oval,             bi-lobed. Anther color: 12B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: 12B. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 1.6 cm. Style length: About 1.3 cm.             Style color: 75D. Stigma color: 145C. Ovary color: 145D.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Antirrhinum have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Antirrhinum. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Antirrhinum plant named ‘Sulte Laver’, as illustrated and described. 